Method and apparatus for finishing extruded pipes of clayware



J. F. BOOTH METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING EXTRUDED PIPES 0F CLAYWARE Feb., i3, i951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i Filed June 10, 194'? mm.. ww

Feb. 13, 1951 J. F. BOOTH 2,541,570

. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING EXTRUDED PIPES OF CLAYWARE Filed June lO, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 13, 1951 J. F. BOOTH 2,541,570

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING EXTRUDED PIPES oF cLAvwAPE Filed Jima 10, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Atto/'neg J. F. BOOTH METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING EXTRUDED PIPES OF' CLAYWARE Feb. 13, 1951 Filed nimeA 10. 194'? 4 Sheets-SheetI 4 FIGS.

fitto/1n ey Patented Feb. 13, 1951 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING EXTRUDED PIPES F CLAYWARE John F. Booth, Hazlehead, near Sheffield, England Application `lune 1 0, 1947, Serial No. 753,692

In Great Britain June 18, 1946 (ci. 25min 20 Claims.

This invention relates to finishing machines in which extruded pipes and conduits of clayware are trimmed, cut to length and finally shaped, together if necessary with marking, grooving, and roughening, before being dried and burnt. Ordinarily, a pipe is placed manually on one or more revolving spindles equipped With trimming and other tools, for operation on one end y0f the pipe at a time and, after removal from the machine, receive purely manual treatment, such as internal scoring of sockets. rllhe labour involved in pushing a pipe on to a spindle and pulling it off, and repeating the operations on a second spindle is extremely arduous, as well as costly. The pipes are also very liable to be damaged by the handling.

According to the present invention, the extruded pipes are fed in succession on to a movable support which is moved to carry each pipe in turn to an operating station or succession of stations at which finishing tools are fed to one or both ends of the p-ipe to perform finishing operations upon completion of which the finishing tools are Withdrawn and the support is moved to carry the finished pipe to a delivery station. Preferably the support is one of a number movable into position in turn to enable feeding, operating, and delivery to be performed simultaneously .and sequentially on a number of pipes.

The trimming and several other of the 1inishing `steps may generally be performed by rotary tools, and, Where both ends -of the pipe are operated on simultaneously, the tools should rotate in opposite directions to counteract the tendency of each to rotate the pipe itself. The tools operate at high speed with a light pressure, so as not to distort the newly-extruded pipe. The rotating tools are advanced towards the end of the pipes, and are conveniently mounted on motors directly driving the tools and movable bodily towards the pipe. If desired, however, a tool at one or more operatingstations may he driven by a motor disposed at another operating station or elsewhere.

The avoidance of handling of the pipes throughout trimming and finishing, yand especially the bringing of the tools to the Work at the operating station or stations, not only cheapens and expedites the Whole operation but substantially reduces the Wastage due to mishandling of the plastic material.

The machine may be manually fed or it may receive the pipes automatically, e. g., from a transfer mechanism as described in U. S. patent application Serial No. 753,691. The movement of the pipes from one station t0 another is timed to correspond with the feeding rate. Thus in a machine taking the output of an extruding press, the machine advances one station as each pipe is delivered. The advance may, as described in U. S. patent application Serial No. 753,690 which has become Patent 2,480,442, be initiated by the production of a clay fringe extruded in the formation of the pipe. The time cycle of the machine is adjusted to be no greater than the time required to extrude each pipe.

The movable support is preferably in the form of a rotatable member provided with a series ofradial saddles of arcuate shape, each arranged to receive a pipe, the saddles extending over a substantial part of the length of the pipe, and When the pipes are fed to the saddles manually, they rest in the saddles under -their own Weight, the saddles being of sufficient depth to cradle a pipe firmly. The rotatable member may be mounted on a horizontal shaft and the feeding,

finishing and delivery stations arranged symmetrically With respect to the Vshaft over the upper arc of the circle of rotation of the saddles. In such a case, the feeding of the pipes to the saddles is conveniently carried out by a transfer mechanism that carries each -pipe from a vertical position as extruded in the press to a horizontal position for feeding to a saddle of the rotatable member, as described in specication No. 753,691, mentioned above.

When extruding pipes in a vertical press, however, it is convenient for the Arotatable member mentioned above to be arranged for rotation about a vertical axis, and in such a case, the saddles of the rotatable member may be arranged to serve the additional function of transfer members, the rotatable member being arranged to be moved bodily towards and away from the press to effect the transferring operation. Suction may be applied to the saddles for effecting the transfer and foruholding the pipes in the saddles during the finishing operations.

One form of apparatus according to the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying .diagrammatic drawings, in Which vifigure .l is an elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus,

Figure 2 is an end View of the apparatus shown in Fig-ure l,

Figure 3 is a plan View of part of the apparatus shown in Figure l,

Figure 4 is an elevation of a detail of the apparatus shown in Figure l, drawn to a larger scale,

Figure shows a detail of the apparatus modied to suit a multiple bore pipe, and

Figures 6, 1 and 8 are diagrams illustrating the transfer of the pipes from a press to the finishing machine.

Referring to Figures l to 4, a rotatable member l'li formed with six radial saddles Ii is secured to a vertical shaft I3 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in a main frame I4. rEhe frame I4 is slidably mounted in a slideway |69 formed in a base plate |1 and is arranged to be reciprocated in the slideway by a hydraulic piston I8 slidably mounted in a cylinder |61 attached by means of a bracket 2i to the base plate I1, the piston I8 being attached to an arm 22 depending from the base |68 of the main frame I4. Liq-uid is supplied to the cylinder |61 through conduits 23 and 24. The lower portion of the shaft I3 is formed with a central bore 26 connected through a suitable gland 21 to a vacuum pump (not shown), the bore 26 communicating with suction passages 28 in the arms 29 of a spider 3| secured to the shaft I3, the passages 28 connecting the bore 26 to valve housings 32 in each of which is arranged a spring loaded valve 33. The housings 32 are each connected to a valve 34 mounted on the side of a saddle I6! and connected to a suction inlet on the saddle I6| by a conduit 36 the stem of each valve 34 being attached to a spring loaded marking stamp 35. The saddles |61 are of arcuate shape and provided with a permeable surface similar to that of the transfer saddle described in specification No. 753,691, mentioned above. The period of operation of the valves 33 is controlled by a stationary annular cam 31.

The rotatable member I1| is arranged for intermittent rotation by an indexing disc 4| secured to the shaft I3 adjacent an over-hanging ,part of the frame I4. The disc 4| is formed with a series of six holes 42 arranged circumferentially of the disc and corresponding to the saddles I6I. Pivotally attached to the frame I4 adjacent the disc 4| is a hydraulic cylinder 43 in which is slidably mounted a piston 44 the end of which terminates in a boss 46 carrying a spring loaded plunger 41 formed with a pin 48 arranged to pass into the holes 42. The outside diameter of the boss 46 is arranged to run in a recess 49 in the face of the disc 4| for guiding the plunger 41 when the pin 48 is withdrawn. The stroke of the piston 44 is equal to the circumerential distance between the holes 42 so that each operative stroke of the piston 44 causes the disc 4| and thus the rotatable member |1| to rotate through a sixth of a revolution.

Liquid is supplied to the cylinder 43 through conduits 49A and 5| leading to a spring-loaded hydraulic valve 52 arranged to be operated by a solenoid 53 wired in a high tension circuit 54. Arranged in the circuit 54 is a mercury switch 56 carried by a lever 51 pivoted at 58, the pivotal movement of the lever 51 being controlled by a solenoid 66 arranged in a low tension circuit 6I controlled by a switch 33 (see Figure 6) arranged to be operated by the exudation of a fringe of clay during the formation of the pipe in a press, as described in specification No. 753,690, mentioned above. The lever 51 is provided with a disconnecting arm, 62 arranged in the path of movement of an arm 63 extending from a lock shaft 64 slidably mounted in a bearing member 66, the axis of the shaft 64 intersecting the pitch circle of the holes 42 in the disc 4| and so disposed that it lies co-axial with the pin 4 48 when the piston 44 is at the end of its operative stroke.

Slidably mounted in slideways 1| and 12 secured respectively to supporting brackets 13 and 14 extending from the upper and lower portions of the frame I4, are a pair of motors 1.6 and 11, respectively. The motors are arranged coaxial with their common axis lying coincident with the axis of a pipe When-in position in a saddle |6| at the second finishing station` in order of rotation of the rotatable member |1I. The motors 16 and 11 are provided with hydraulic cylinders 18 and 16, respectively, in which are slidably mounted pistons 8| and 82, respectively, the cylinders being attached by brackets 84 to the slideways 1| and 12, while the pistons 8| and 82 co-operate, respectively, with brackets 86 and 81, attached respectively to the slides of the motors 16 and 11, to cause sliding movement of the motors towards and away from each other to carry trimming and finishing tools to the pipes as described below. Extending from the slide of the motor 16 is a bracket 9| carrying a bearing member 62 in which is freely mounted the shaft of a nishing tool consisting of a frame 93 across which is stretched a wire 94. The trimming tool is driven by the motor 16 through a belt 96. The axis of the bearing member 92 is arranged coincident with the axis of a pipe when in position in a saddle |61 at the rst nishing station.

Secured to the shaft of the motor 11 is a tool head on which is mounted a trimming tool |62, a grooving tool |63 and a radiusing tool |64. Secured to the shaft of the motor 16 is a further tool head |06 on which is mounted a fixed radiusing tool |01 and a movable grooving tool |68. As shown in detail in Figure 4, the grooving tool |68 is pivotally mounted on one end of a lever |06 and is arranged to pass through a hole in the outer rim of the too-l head |66. The lever |69 is pivotally mounted on a bracket secured to the tool head |66 and is connected by a link |I2 to the free end of a lever |I3 pivoted on the tool head and carrying a roller II4. A grooved bobbin ||6 freely mounted on the shank of the tool head is arranged in engagement with the roller ||4 and is formed with a cam portion ||1 arranged, upon axial movement of the bobbin 6 to effect pivotal movement of the lever I|3 and thus the lever |69 so as to move the tool |68 into or out of engagement, as the case may be, with the pipe for the time being at the second finishing station. Axial movement of the bobbin ||6 is effected by a lever H8 pivoted at ||9 on an extension from the framework of the motor 16 and pivotally connected at one end of a yoke in engagement With the groove of the bobbin |16,

While the other end carries an adjustable stop |2| arranged to be engaged by an extension 122 of the piston 8|. The extension |22 is formed with a shoulder |23 between which and the bracket 86 is arranged a spring |24. Upon movement of the piston 8| in the operative direction, therefore, it compresses the spring I 24 thus causing the motor to slide by spring pressure on the bracket 86 until a stop member E26 on the motor slide meets a stop I 21 on the siideway 1| whereupon the motor stops and the piston 8| continues its movement to rock the lever H8 to operate the tool |68.

The cylinders 18 and 16 are fed with liquid through common conduits |3I, |32, from a common rotary valve |33 to which liquid is fed by 'itself Vlocking the disc.

Yradiused by the tool IM.

amain supply line .1316. A flever lr|235 on rthewa'lve shaft controls the valve and is arranged :to be operatzd 'by :a controlling arm |351 .secured to thezpistoniii.

"The Aoperation of `.the machine arranged lto .take the outputof-a presssimilar to .that described in specication No. 753 ,1690, imentioned above, now .be described.

Upon operation of `the switch 83 *.of the ,press bythe fringe 48 of a pipe `being formed itsee Figures `'6 and 7'), the .solenoid 59 is `operated .to tip the mercury switch 56 and rclose Ythe .high tension circuit'd, and at'thesarne time'movethe arm 62 into a position adjacent'the arm 163 rextending from the lock shaft 154 .which at this time is in -retracted position clear of 'thevdisc`4'i.. Closing of the circuit 54 energises .the solenoid 53 which is thus caused .to operate the v.valve L52 `to supply liquid `to the cylinder 4,3 through the conduit 49A thus moving the .piston 44 and .icausing it to rotate the disc lil through a sixth of a revolution to the position shown in Figure 3, .such motion advancing the rotatable member :|11 one step in the finishing cycle. As the piston ,JM fetfects this movement, the controlling arm '|31 operates the valve |33 to supply yliquid to the motor cylinders i8 and 19 thus causing the .-motors '1 6 and 'H (which normally run ycontinuously) to slide up to operative position. During 1the sliding motion vor" the motors, a slot 14| ,inxthe slide vof vthe motor 'F6 is arranged. "after `a y.delay suiiicient to vallow the tool head |95 partially to embrace the 'endiof the pipey at that rstation while the rotatable member is locked in position .bythe pin 48 in engagement With the disc iii, tolengage a head '|422 on a lever M3 pivoted at |64 on the bracket 73, the other end of the lever being formed with a slot |45 for engaging a pin IM in the lock shaft Eli. During further `.movement of: the motor i6, therefore, the lever |53 is .rocked andcauses the shaft 64 to slide intothe hole s2 of the disc 4| occupied by the pin 48, .thus ipushing out the pin 48 and releasing the piston M and The movement .of rthe shaft ed in the locking directioncauses the .arm E3 to engage the arm v62 on the lever 5Fl and cause it to pivot the mercury switch :'56 into fthe off position, thus breaking the circuitlli.

With the motors 'i6 and 1.] in theirioperative positions and the rotatable member 121| locked by the shaft 54, finishing operations are pere formed at the rst and second lnishingstations simultaneously. Thus, the -wire F923- moves intoy engagement with one end of the pipek at the first finishing station so as to face vit-up to length, while at the second station, 4operations are performed on both ends of flthe pipe simultaneously. At the socket end of the pipe,

fringe 48 is trimmed oby the tool 'm2, grooves' are cut in the internal surface of fthe socket by the tool vH93 and the base of the socket is At the other fend yol? the pipe, the 'fixed radiusing tool lil-'l forms a radius on the inner edge :of the pipe while the movable grooving tool |68 is operated lto form a groove in the external surface of `rthe pipe.

' y A'smentioned above,-the movement oitliem'o'- tors into operative `position 4causesj'tl'ie arm y|53 to operate theswitch V56 and thus break the circuit 5, and when this happens, the solenoid returns to its initial position thus allowing 'the valve 52 to reverse and cause the-piston to move in the opposite direction so as to allow the ypin 48 to snap into the next hole i2 of vthe v'disc 4vin readiness for the next advance. The return Lio movement of the piston causes .the arm |3`|Qto reverse the valve 133 thus causing themotors to return Ato their inoperative positions, and in so doing, cause thelever M3 to -pivot'and withdraw the lock shaft 65 so .as to free `the .disc `4| for movement by the piston 44 during the ynext step in the cycle.

The operations just described takeplace during the extrusion of a=pipeby xthepress, 'and :are completed as the 'table `49B of `the press reaches the limit of its :extrusion movement. At .this stage, the table operates a valve controlling the supply of liquid to the cylinder |61 and causes the .piston .|8 to move the finishing machine towards the press until the adjacent saddle -Iil is infcontact with the `pipe just extruded, the pipefin the meantimehaving been lowered clear o the moulding chamber of the -pressby the table e9. -As the saddle reaches the pipe, the stamp 35 makes ran identication indentation on the vpipeandratthe same vtime operates the valve -34 to cause suction to be applied to the saddle lso as to seize the pipe, the suction being maintained in the vsaddle until it reaches the delivery station by the cam 31. Further downward movement of the table 9 reverses the valve controlling the :piston |3 and the-machine is retracted. The table i9 is then returned for the next eXtruding operation, commencement of which actuates the .piston-i4 to commence-the next step in the iinishing cycle as'described above.

When finishing multiple pipes, it willbe understood that appropriately shaped saddles are used and that multiple heads are driven by the motors to eiect finishing operations within the several bores and the trimming of the fringe from the vcircular base of the socket. External groovingon the non-circular body portion in such a case is veffected with the aid of a cam-operated tool as indicated diagrammatically in Figure 5.

Thus. a `tool 2i!! is slidably mounted in a tool head 232 for movement towards the pipe 203 against the action of a spring, the shank of the tool 2M being provided with a roller 1205i arranged.

kto bear against the face oi a stationary internal cam 296 having a path appropriate to the shape of the pipe. As the tool head rotates, the 'tool moves `in and out in accordance with the shape vof the cam and thus follows the` shapeof the pipe.

I claim:

l. Method of finishing extruded pipes of conduits o clayvvare, comprising feeding the pipes in succession to a transfer station, moving each pipe in succession from the transfer station over an arcuate path to carryit to a succession of nn- .isbing stations, performing finishing operations on atleast one end of each pipe at each finishing station, and moving each `pipe in succession rurther along said path to carry it from the last iinishing station to a delivery Station.

'2. 'Method of iinishing extruded pipes or conduits of clayware, comprising feeding thepipes in succession to a transfer station, applying -suction to surface or veach pipe as it Aarrives at ythe transfer l'station so as "to'hold-itin a'deinite position, moving each pipe in succession while so held from vthe transfer station over an arcuate path to carry it to -a succession or -nishingstations, performing finishing operations on at least one end vof pipe, at each nishing station, and moving each-pipe in succession further along said path to carry it from the last finishing-sta- 4Vtion to a delivery station,

` 3. Method of finishing ezrtrud-ed pipes or-conduits of clayvvare, comprising feeding the pipes in succession to a transfer station, intermittently moving the succession of pipes over an arcuate path simultaneously and sequentially to carry them to a succession of finishing stations and a delivery station, so that as one finished pipe is delivered another one is fed, and performing finishing operations on the pipes simultaneously and sequentially at the finishing stations.

4. Apparatus for finishing extruded pipes or conduits of clayWare, comprising a rotatable support, means for feeding the pipes in succession to successive radial positions on said support, means for rotating said support to carry each pipe in turn to a finishing station or succession of stations, and at least one finishing tool adapted to befed to at least one end of the pipe to perform a finishing operation thereon.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a motor at each nishing station, the finishing tools being mounted directly on the motor shafts, and means for moving the motors so as to feed the tools towards the pipe.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising means responsive to the exudation of a fringe of clay during the formation of a pipe in a press, said means serving to initiate rotation of the rotatable support.

7. Apparatus for finishing extruded pipes or conduits of clayware, comprising a rotatable member formed with a series of radial supporting saddles, means for feeding the pipes in succession to successive saddles, means for'rotating said rotatable member to carry each pipe in turn toa succession of finishing stations, and finishing tools adapted to be pressed simultaneously on to both ends of the pipes at at least one of the stations simultaneously.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rotatable member is arranged for rotation about a vertical axis, and means are provided for transferring the pipes to the saddles directly from a vertical press for forming the pipes.

9. Apparatus according to claimv 8, comprising means for applying suction to the saddles for holding the pipes in vertical position during thefinishing operations. l

l0. Apparatus according to claim 9,` comprising a valve member rotatable with the rotatable member and provided with a series of valves, one for each saddle, conduits connecting said valves to said saddles, and a stationary annular cam for. operating said valves so as to cause suction to be applied to said saddles from the feeding station to the delivery station.

1l. Apparatus according to claim 7, comprising motors arranged with their axes coincident with the axes of the pipes when in position at the finishing stations, the nishing tools being mounted directly on the motor shafts, and means for moving the motors so as to feed said tools towards the pipes to perform finishing operations.

12. Apparatus for finishing extruded pipes or conduits of clayware, comprising a rotatable member formed with a series of radial supporting saddles, means for feeding the pipes in succession to successive saddles, an index plate forV rotating said rotatable member, means for intermittently rotating said index plate so as to cause rotation of said rotatable member to carry the saddles successively from one finishing station to a ysucceeding finishing station, finishing tools adapted to be fed to at least one end of the pipes at each .finishing station simultaneously, and means for locking said index plate during operation of said finishing tools.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, comprising in the index plate a series of holes corresponding to the number of saddles, a fiuid-operated piston provided With a spring loaded plunger, a valve for causing reciprocation of said piston so as to cause said plunger successively to engage the holes in said index plate and thus cause intermittent rotation of said rotatable member, and a lock shaft adapted to enter the hole for the time being engaged by said plunger at the completion of the stroke of said piston so as to push said plunger out of the hole thus freeing said piston from engagement with said index plate while at the same time locking said index plate during operation of said finishing tools.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, comprising means responsive to the operative movement of a finishing tool for actuating said lock shaft.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12, comprising motors arranged with their axes coincident with the axes of the pipes When in position at the finishing stations, the nishing tools being mounted directly on the motor shafts, and means for moving the motors so as to feed said tools towards the pipes to perform finishing operations. 16. Apparatus for finishing extruded pipes or conduits of clayware, comprising a rotatable member formed with a seresof radial supporting saddles, means for feeding the pipes in succession to successive saddles, means for rotating said rotatable member to carry each pipe in turn to one or a succession of finishing stations, nishing tools adapted to be fed to at least one end of the pipes at each station, and means responsive to the movement of the means for rotating said rotatable member for feeding the finishing tools.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, comprising Huid-operated means for rotating said rotatable member and for feeding said finishing tools.

18. Apparatus for finishing extruded pipes or conduits of clayware, comprising a rotatable member formed With'a series of radial supporting saddles, means for feeding the pipes in succession to successive saddles, an index plate for rotating said rotatable member, a fluid-operated piston for intermittently rotating said rotatable member to carry the saddles successively from one finishing station to succeeding finishing station, a finishing tool adapted to be fed to at least one end of the pipes at each finishing station, fluid-operated means responsive to the movement of said piston for feeding said tools, and means for locking said index plate during operation of said 1inishing tools.

` 19. Apparatus for finishing extruded pipes or conduits of clayware, comprising a rotatable member formed with a series of radial supporting saddles, means for feeding the pipes in succession to successive saddles, an index plate formed with a series of holes corresponding to the number of saddles, a duid-operated piston provided with a spring-loaded plunger, a valve for causing reciprocation of said piston so as to cause said plunger successively to engage the holes in said index plate and thus cause intermittent rotation of said rotatable member to carry the saddles successively from one finishing station to a succeeding finishing station, motors arranged With their axes coincident with the axis of the pipes when in position at the finishing stations, finishing tools mounted directly on the motor shafts, fluid-operated pistons for moving the motors so as to feed said tools towards the pipes, a second valve for causing reciprocation of said motor pistons, said second Valve being operable by means carried by said rst-mentioned piston so as to bring about movement of said motors only after a pre-determined movementl of said rotatable member, and a lock shaft adapted to enter the hole for the time being engaged by said plunger at the completion of the stroke of said piston so as to push said plunger out of the hole thus freeing said piston from engagement With said index plate while at the same time locking said index plate during the operation of said nishing tools.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, comprising means responsive to the exudation of a fringe of clay during the formation of a pipe in a press, said means serving to initiate movement of said first-mentioned valve.

JOHN F. BOOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain June 3, 1904 

